Safety

Protect Your Belongings

Secure your valuables, especially on Burn night. Consider locking valuables in your car. Take pictures of your valuables, record serial numbers, and report them missing immediately; police can’t easily investigate otherwise. (Tip: Make two spare house and door keys — hide one and carry one.) Introduce yourself to neighbors and local Black Rock Rangers. Work together to keep your neighborhood secure.

Lasers & Laser Safety

Handheld lasers are not permitted in Black Rock City. Mounted lasers are only permitted on art pieces, mutant vehicles and in theme camps if they are licensed and comply with specific restrictions. Learn about them here. Unsafe laser installations will not be permitted to operate. If you have any questions about lasers and their use on playa, please email lasersburningmanorg (lasersburningmanorg) .

Structural Safety: Designing and Building a Structure at Burning Man

Since you assume all liability for the safety of any structure you construct, here are some important questions you should ask yourself when designing and building a structure at Burning Man:

What’s the load capacity of your platform?

How many people can it hold based on the load capacity?

How will you prevent it from becoming overcrowded?

Railings are required to be strong enough to be leaned against; how will you accomplish that?

Have you factored in the high winds conditions that are likely on Black Rock Desert for your design?

What is your rescue plan?

If over two stories, how would emergency services enter and respond?

Is there an area with only one door that will hold people?

What is your exit plan?

Where will your extinguishers be located?

Is the entrance stair the same as the exit stair?

How wide is that stairway?

Is there adequate exit pathways in case of an emergency?

If you have not fully considered all aspects of your plan from a structural engineering perspective, you have more research to do.

The Event Safety Team will be conducting inspections and making recommendations or suggestions as they see necessary during the event. If you have any questions, contact the Event Safety Officer, Gabe Kearney (gabekearneyburningmanorg) .